


BLACKLISTED

by SunOfIcarus



Category: Minecraft (Video Game), Video Blogging RPF
Genre: Angst, Family Dynamics, Hurt/Comfort, Mafia AU, Miscommunication, Panic Attacks, Past Abuse
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-09
Updated: 2020-11-29
Packaged: 2021-03-08 02:48:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 8,008
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26908399
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SunOfIcarus/pseuds/SunOfIcarus
Summary: "Tommy woke up to muffled talk down the hall.Maybe, he wouldn’t have thought anything of it if he couldn’t hear footsteps pacing back and forth. Maybe, just maybe, he would have stayed in bed if his alarm didn’t flash 1:54 AM in bright red letters. But mostly, he got up due to the sense of dread he felt looming over him."A Mafia AU, in which Tommy runs away to find answers of his own, Schlatt is trying to kill him, and his adoptive family tries to save Tommy and take down Schlatt at the same time.
Relationships: No Romantic Relationship(s)
Comments: 51
Kudos: 459





	1. Muffled Conversation

Tommy woke up to muffled talk down the hall.

Maybe, he wouldn’t have thought anything of it if he couldn’t hear footsteps pacing back and forth. Maybe, just maybe, he would have stayed in bed if his alarm didn’t flash  _ 1:54 AM _ in bright red letters. Later, when talking to Tubbo, he might blame the fact that he heard all three of his brothers talking at once, a feat that hardly happens this early in the morning (usually, most of them are in bed by this time).

But, mostly, he got up due to the sense of dread he felt looming over him.

This wouldn’t be the first time that he had been awoken by late night conversations. In all of his previous homes, it would always be at a late hour, when they were certain he was asleep. Quiet talk of bad behavior, fights, a stand-off attitude that would never get him anywhere.

Typically, he’d be sent back to the orphanage within a week after the conversation.

He had been living with these three for about a month and a half. A feat which, though impressed with himself, made him very, very nervous.

They were nice enough, the little family. His ‘father’, Philza (though he never called him ‘Father’ or ‘Dad’. If he were to call every foster parent he had ever had by those titles, he would have had many Mothers and Fathers throughout his lifetime. He doesn’t consider any of them parental figures, so the titles would just be a lie, anyway), always made sure he was doing well. Asked if he was comfortable, helped with homework where he could. Made sure to make Tommy’s favorite meal every once in a while. He didn’t pressure him into hugs, or any sort of contact that Tommy shied away from. 

Wilbur, the first of two older brothers, was cool, he supposed. He played music, and sometimes asked for Tommy’s opinion about certain lines or pieces. He ruffled Tommy’s hair and encouraged his loud behavior. He hung out with Tommy the most, though whether that was because Wilbur liked him the best or because he was the least busy, Tommy wasn’t sure.

Techno, the second of two older brothers, wasn’t quite as open with how he felt. Which was fine with Tommy (he didn’t need to be coddled, really, he didn’t). But sometimes Techno would help him with homework that even Philza didn’t understand, or play games with him to teach him how to be the best at them.

The family is… good. Tommy didn’t let himself think anything more than that. It’s simply, ‘good’.

Focusing on the voices across the hall, he takes off the thick blanket on top of him to sit up.

This isn’t the first time that Tommy has put on socks to muffle his footsteps, pushed back the slightly-ajar door, and slipped into the darkness of the hallway. He had done it with plenty of families before. He had even done it with this family before. It was usually something small, something Tommy would feel a small bit of embarrassment about later. Techno grumbling about university work that didn’t make sense. Wilbur and Philza discussing plans for fixing the kitchen counter, which had been cracked since before Tommy had gotten there.

Small things, which, though confusing to discuss at such early hours, never meant anything to Tommy.

He could never bring himself to stop, though. He didn’t want to be caught off-guard when the news finally came that he was being sent back. That he had once again pushed away family, and was forced to be alone again.

And so, with a dangerous, foreboding sensation, Tommy carefully put his clothed feet on the floor. He flattened himself as he slipped through the slightly ajar door. And he hid in the shadows of a hallway, leading out to a small kitchen with a cracked counter.

He was right, in what he thought he was hearing earlier. He could see Techno’s short pink hair, resting just above his shoulders. He could see the yellow of Wilbur’s jumper, his back facing towards him. He could see Philza’s blonde hair, messy as though he had been running his hands through it. Tommy wonders if maybe he has.

“It’s hard to know what he wants,” Philza says, voice low and cautious. “We don’t want to get into something we can’t get out of.”

Tommy’s grip tightens around his knee. His heart begins to beat just a bit harder, so he holds his breath, forcing himself to slow it down.

Wilbur sighs as he readjusts himself in his seat. “He’s too much trouble, Phil. We really can’t afford to take a risk like this.”

Tommy digs his nails into his leg. He knew it was only a matter of time. He ignored the way his heart started to ache in his chest; It really didn’t matter. They were just like everyone else, just a temporary thing until Tommy grew out of the system. Just because they had dealt with him longer didn’t mean they wanted to deal with him forever.

Wil looks toward Techno. “Unless you think-?”

“No. Whatever he wants from us, he can find it somewhere else. It’s too high of a gamble.”

Tommy holds his breath as silence overtakes the kitchen. He wonders if the silence is as thick for them as it is for him.

“Tommy-”

“No. We’ve already discussed this, Wilbur, we’re not telling Tommy.”

Tommy stands up, slowly and softly. He’s heard everything he needs to hear.

They’re sending him back.

He hears Wilbur huff as he takes gentle steps down the hall. “I wasn’t suggesting we did, I just thought-”

Wilbur never does get to finish that sentence. Tommy, with how often he’s done this, should be some sort of professional. He knows how to avoid the creaky floor boards, how to step on the tips of his toes in just the right way so that no sound is made. He’s done it flawlessly time and time again.

He doesn’t know how he manages to mess up so badly.

Well, he supposes he does; He slips.

He doesn’t know if it’s the way he shifts as he turns around, or the way he stands up. He doesn’t know if it’s because he went too fast, or because he didn’t go fast enough.

He falls to the wooden floor with a thud. The voices in the kitchen go completely silent, and for a moment he just holds his breath.

_ Dammit. Fucking dammit. _

There’s a split second of dead silence, and Tommy thinks that maybe if he plays dead, he can convince them he was sleepwalking all along. But then he hears a shaky sigh from Philza. “Tommy. Come out.”

For a moment, all he can do is lay on the ground with his forehead pressed against the cold wood. He sits completely frozen, as though somehow if he doesn’t move, the world won’t move either. But he can feel the expectant energy coming from down the hall, so he forces himself to take a breath before pushing himself up.

Tommy looks towards the ground as he walks towards the three men. He’s gripping his arms so hard that he’s certain there’ll be marks the next day.

He’s hardly to the table before Wilbur asks in a low voice, “How long have you been there?” Tommy almost flinches. It’s so different to when Wilbur is cracking jokes, trying to make people smile.

Tommy just shrugs.

“Tommy,” Techno says, and Tommy doesn’t flinch at this one. Techno’s voice is always low, it just usually doesn’t sound this… upset. Borderline angry. “This isn’t a joke. How long were you spying on us-”

“What aren’t you telling me?” Tommy says, and the table goes silent. He wants to hear them say it,  _ needs  _ to hear them say it. In the thick midst of the situation, a part of him revels in the uncomfortable looks on their faces.

_ Serves them right. _

Philza gives a long, tired sigh. “Tommy. You shouldn’t have been listening in-”

“Why not? What’s so fucking bad that I can’t hear it?”

“Tommy-”

“ _ Phil- _ ”

“Tommy,” Techno interrupts, his low voice resonating through the room. Both Tommy and Philza go silent. “Go to your room.”

Tommy scoffs. “You’re not my fucking dad.”

“Go to your room, now,” Philza says.

Tommy takes in a shaky breath. Techno is staring at him with low brows and high shoulders. Philza looks upset, disappointed, even (a familiar face to Tommy). Wilbur won’t even look at him. He’s opting to look at the counter instead, staring with furrowed brows and a tight jaw.

For a moment, Tommy just glances from person to person. Waiting for someone, anyone, to speak up. To defend him. To tell him to his face that they want to return him, that they couldn’t handle him.

No one does.

“You’re not my fucking dad, either,” Tommy mumbles as he turns on his heels and marches towards his room. He slams the door shut, not caring that the sound probably echoes throughout the whole house.

He’s pulling clothes out of his drawers when he hears footsteps pass by his door and lead into Techno’s bedroom.

He’s pushing the clothes into a backpack when he hears Wilbur and Philza saying goodnight to each other, Philza walking upstairs to go to sleep.

He’s making sure everything important to him is in the front zipper pocket when he hears Wilbur getting himself a glass of water.

He’s placing the backpack at the edge of his bed when he hears Wilbur finally enter his own room.

He’s lying in bed, eyes stinging and head aching as he hears Wilbur’s door softly click shut.

Then he hears nothing at all.


	2. The Black Spot

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> TW: Panic Attack
> 
> Tommy's given a black coin with a ram's head engraved on it. Philza, Techno, and Wilbur freak out, causing Tommy to panic.

It had almost been a full week.

He hadn’t been taken back, not yet. No one really talked to him, but then again, he was working hard to actively avoid them. Wilbur used to pick him up from school, but he had been walking home for the past few days. Which wasn’t all that bad. It gave him a little bit of time to talk to Tubbo before they split into their separate ways.

When he got home, he immediately went to his room. When Philza got home from work and came in to check on him, he made sure to have his homework in his lap, muttering some excuse like,  _ Sorry, Philza, just doing a lot of work. The teachers are assigning us a fuck-ton. _

When Philza would call him down for family dinner (a tradition that Tommy almost liked, at first, but now made him very uncomfortable), he wouldn’t look up as Techno walked through the kitchen door. To avoid all conversation, he made sure he was eating at all times. To make sure he didn’t spend a second longer with them than he needed, he ate fast.

They noticed, Tommy was certain. Sometimes they’d give him odd looks, or look at each other for just a second too long before looking back at him.

Philza would ask him how his homework was doing, and he would just shrug. Wilbur would ask what he thought of a song lyric he came up with, and Tommy would mutter, “It’s fine.” Techno would ask if he wanted to play a game with him, and Tommy would give a noncommittal shrug. He never did.

Tommy didn’t need their pity points before they abandoned him. Tommy didn’t need them to act like they cared about him.

Tommy’s bag is still sitting at the edge of his bed. He had to take clothes out, occasionally, so he had something to wear to school, but he’s quick to shove it back in once he changes.

All in such, this act of avoidance led to what Tommy would later consider the downfall. It was only because he had refused to let Wilbur drive him home anymore that he had met the man in the first place.

The wind is nipping at his face the day it happens.

Tommy curls his shoulders in on himself as he walks alongside Tubbo outside of the school doors. He makes a bitter comment about how fucking freezing it is, and Tubbo laughs good naturedly alongside him.

Tubbo was Tommy’s first friend at this new school. His only friend, if he was being honest with someone, though he hardly ever was.

Tommy tried hard to not make friends at this school. He was always taken away anyway, why would it be different this time around?

Tubbo… grew on him. He really didn’t know why. Tommy was loud, excitable, and angry. Tubbo was usually quieter, also easily excited but preferring to stay out of trouble. They bonded within a day.

He hadn’t told Tubbo yet that he would be gone soon. Not that he would ghost Tubbo, of course not. He just didn’t want to spend their last day or two together being sad and shit. That was for losers, which Tommy was not.

“Do you want to come over tonight?” Tubbo says, tightening his scarf around his throat. “Mum’s making something for dinner, so you wouldn’t have to worry about food or anything.”

“Naw. Sorry, big man,” Tommy responds, waving vaguely. “Philza wants me home tonight.” It’s a lie, and he thinks Tubbo knows it, but what is he supposed to say? That he has to be home in case they decide to kick him out tonight?

Tubbo deflates for a second, before shrugging. “I guess. Voice chat tonight?”

“For sure, Big T.”

They wave their goodbyes and walk their separate ways. For a moment, Tommy just watches Tubbo leave. He hopes he can still see Tubbo in person, when he’s sent away. He’s sure they’ll still talk a lot, but it’s not quite the same if he can’t see Tubbo right in front of him.

He’s so deep in thought that he almost yelps as a hand lands on his shoulder.

“Hey, it’s alright! Calm yourself.”

Tommy stumbles forward, swinging himself around to see who the hell was talking to him-

His heart stutters. This isn’t anyone he knows. He’s heard enough kidnapping stories to know that a stranger grabbing your shoulder led to nowhere fucking good.

“So nice to finally meet you! Tommy, is it?”

Tommy is tall, yet somehow still not as tall as this man. His eyes catch on his red tie, tucked neatly into a black suit, before it goes to the face.

A dark beard, dark hair slicked back on his head. He’s smiling, but there’s something unnerving about it.

“Who the fuck are you?” Tommy asks startled. He’s taken a step back away from the man, yet it still doesn’t feel far enough.

The man’s smile falters, for a second. “Has your family not told you about me?”

Tommy decides not to correct him on the usage of the words ‘his family’. They’re not, not really, but now doesn’t seem to be the time to mention that. He just shakes his head instead.

The man’s smile increases tenfold. “I’m sorry to hear that, Tommy!” He reaches out a hand. “The name’s Schlatt.”

Tommy stares at the hand skeptically, but doesn’t take it.

Schlatt shrugs and shoves the hand into his pocket. “Hey, I get it. Don’t talk to strangers, huh?” He takes a step closer to Tommy and absentmindedly stares at the sky. “Listen, though. I’ve been quite busy, and uh,” he scratches the back of his neck, “I’ve got something for your family.”

Tommy watches him dig into his pocket before pulling something out. He’s holding it in his palm, so Tommy can’t quite see what it is. He tenses as Schlatt strides towards him. Schlatt holds his hand out and Tommy hesitantly holds his out underneath it. The man drops it into his hand before shifting back.

“Tell them it’s from Ol’ Schlatt, alright?”

Tommy yanks his hand towards himself, and Schlatt just chuckles. “I’ll be seein’ ya, Tommy,” he calls out, as he turns on his heels and begins to walk away.

Tommy doesn’t take a breath until the man is out of sight.

“What the fuck was that about,” Tommy whispers to himself. Almost hesitantly, he opens the palm of his hand.

It doesn’t look like anything particularly special. A small round coin, a pitch black. A symbol of a ram’s head with large, curling horns slightly juts out off the center.

Tommy’s never seen something like it before. Why the fuck would Philza, Techno, and Wilbur need it?

Tommy shuffles it in his fingers as he walks towards his house. He almost winces at the thought of having to face Philza to give it to him. Maybe he’ll just place it on the counter and leave it for someone to find. Maybe… Maybe…

He looks at it again. It does look sort of valuable. At the very least, rare.

He pushes it into his pocket. Fuck them. If they never mentioned it, it’s probably not that important anyway.

He almost forgets about it, in the midst of voice chatting Tubbo and pretending to do homework. It’s not until Wilbur mentions something about it that he remembers.

“What do you keep fidgeting with, Tommy?”  
Tommy freezes. He’s at dinner, the three men sitting at the table around him. He hadn’t noticed he had taken out the little coin and began playing with it.

“Nothing,” Tommy says, shoving the coin back into his pocket.

“What, is it embarrassing or something?” Wilbur asks, and Tommy can hear his smile without looking at him.

“It’s just not a big deal.”

“Is it a note from a girlfriend?” Techno asks monotone, causing a slight laugh from Philza. Tommy can feel his face heating up.

“No, it’s not-”

“Tommy, don’t tell me you’ve got cigs in your pocket.”

“No, Wil, why would I have-”

“Why won’t you show us then?”

“ _ Fine, _ ” Tommy huffs, slamming the coin onto the table. If they’re making such a big deal out of it, he doesn’t need it, anyway. A random black coin isn’t worth the extra time he’s spending talking with them.

And, to his credit, it works. They stop talking to him to all lean in to the center of the table.

But then they stay silent. All staring at the coin in the center of the table.

All of a sudden, the tense, frozen silence breaks, as Philza scrambles to grab the coin off of the center of the table. Tommy doesn’t miss the way his hands tremble as he holds the coin up for a closer look.

“Tommy,” Philza asks, his voice wavering. “Where did you get this?”

_ Oh. Oh no. _

“School,” Tommy says, trying to sound casual. This was the moment he was going to get kicked out. And it wasn’t even his damn fault.

“Where,” Wilbur asks, swinging his attention from the coin to Tommy. “Where from school did you get this?”

“I don’t know,” Tommy responds, digging his nails into the center of his palm to try to calm himself. “A man outside of the school gave it to me. Technically he told me to give it to you, but I forgot-”

“Who.”

Tommy’s mouth clamps shut halfway through his lie. Techno is staring at the coin, eyebrows furrowed and a look of hot furry in his eyes.

“A man named Schlatt?” Tommy responds weakly.

“Tommy, did he hand it to you?” Wilbur asks, his voice frantic. “Did he give _you_ , specifically, the coin? He didn’t give it to someone else, who then gave it to you? He gave it directly to you?”  
Tommy’s head is starting to hurt. He doesn’t know what the fuck is happening, or why.

“Yes, he handed it to me, what’s the big fucking deal? Is it some sort of drug or what?”

The three men all stare at the coin for another moment, the silence overtaking them again. Tommy looks from person to person, but no one answers. His heart strains in his chest. “Guys-”

All three men move at once. Techno shoots out of his seat, pushing the chair back and shoving the table on his way up. Philza gets up and reaches out towards Techno, trying to get him to stay put.

“I’m going to kill that fucker.”

“Techno! Techno, you can’t just go out there by yourself, are you insane?”

Wilbur has moved towards Tommy, arms trembling slightly as he reaches towards him-

Tommy flinches and moves away.

“I can take him, Philza.”

“No, you can’t. Plenty of people have thought that before, and they were all wrong-”

“What do you want me to do then, Philza? He’s going to-”

“Techno!” Philza interrupts, glaring at him. He nods towards Tommy.

Techno glances at him, but that only seems to make him more upset. “Exactly, Philza! What do you want us to do, let it happen? We have no fucking clue when he’s going to try something, we can’t be off guard-”

“What the fuck are you guys talking about?” Tommy interrupts, his voice starting to rise. Everything is so fucking loud. His heart is practically beating through his chest. “Why the hell does that bloody black coin matter so much?”

“Tommy, I understand you’re confused,” Wilbur starts, taking another step towards. Tommy takes a step back. “You’re just gonna have to trust us, okay? Just-”

Techno and Philza still haven’t stopped arguing. They’re yelling at each other, now, but Wilbur’s trying to talk over them and it’s too much, Tommy can’t focus-

“Fuck off, Philza, I know what needs to be done-”

“You’re going to get yourself killed, is what’s going to happen-”

“Tommy, please, just head to your room, we’ll talk to you-”

“Techno, stop-”

Wilbur keeps walking towards him, Tommy can’t take it-

“We shouldn’t be discussing this-”

“You’re okay, Tommy, just-”

“I’m not being dramatic, I’m being the only fucking  _ reasonable one! _ ”

Techno bangs his fist on the counter, and Tommy yelps. He flinches, almost curling in on himself. The kitchen goes silent as Tommy bites his lip, trembling and red-faced.

Wilbur’s saying something, he thinks, but he can’t really hear. His eyes sting, his vision blurry, and he’s trying so damn hard not to cry. Crying is what gets him in trouble.

Philza takes a step towards him and he almost cries out again. He chokes it down his throat instead, forcing himself to stay silent.

“-ommy, you’re alright. Breathe, it’s alright. You’re safe. We’re not going to hurt you, you’re safe.”

Breathe? Tommy isn’t sure he can take a breath right now. He’s not sure he’s taken a breath in a while, but he’s not sure he’ll be able to contain himself if he does-

“You’re safe, Tommy. You’re okay. Take a deep breath. You can do it, come on. Just breathe.”

Tommy takes a breath and almost chokes. He curses himself as he feels a tear run down his cheek.

“Good job, Tommy. Just keep breathing, okay? You’re alright, you’re okay. Just watch me, match my breathing…”

He isn’t sure how long he stands there, desperately trying to choke down air without breaking down. He can feel Techno and Wilbur’s eyes on him, but he tries to ignore it. None of them have made any motion to step towards him, and that’s what matters.

“Are you alright, Tommy?” Philza asks gently once Tommy’s breathing has gotten a bit steadier.

He nods. He feels heavy. He doesn’t know if he could open his mouth if he tried.

“You should probably go to bed, okay?”

Tommy doesn’t even fight him on it. He just nods, a weak, pathetic thing, before turning around.

He doesn’t have the energy to do anything. Not to change, not to turn on the lights, not to cry.

He lets himself fall onto the bed like lead. With a heavy feeling of sinking, he closes his eyes and lets sleep overtake him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So the black coin was inspired by The Black Spot from Treasure Island! Just a fun little thing, lol.
> 
> Feel free to leave comments and kudos if you want! Whether it be questions, concerns, pros or cons, I like reading them, and I can always do with being told what I can do better.
> 
> Thank you all for reading! I deeply appreciate it all of you <3


	3. Beautiful Boy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A peak into the past, on when Sleepy Bois Incorporated decided to adopt Tommy Innit.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a little flashback for y'all! Probably the first of two or three, unless you guys don't enjoy it.
> 
> TW for talk about abuse, btw, stay safe <3

_ Philza taps his fingers on the table underneath him. Wilbur sits to his right, Techno to his left. He stares at the empty chair across from him in anticipation. Wilbur and Techno idly chat, but Philza can’t bring himself to join in. There’s something that feels serious about someone else joining in on their business. Especially with no prior explanation. _

_ Eret, tall with brown curly hair, finally takes the seat across from him. Sunglasses rest on their eyes, even if they’re inside. An anonymity thing, he supposes. Techno and Wilbur stop their conversation to stare at him. _

_ “Listen,” Eret starts before hesitating. “It’s probably not important, but I thought you guys might want to hear it.” They bring out a small folder and set it on the center of the table. “You guys remember the Innits?” _

_ Of course he did. He was sure they all did. Two dicks, too far over their head to realize the real trouble they were causing. Drug dealers, killing everyone a dollar in debt. Power-hungry people looking for control. Surprisingly strong hungry-power people looking for control. _

_ Sleepy Bois Incorporated weren’t cruel, or petty. As long as someone was being respectful and staying in their own lane, so would they. They weren’t vigilantes, by any means, but certainly wouldn’t hesitate to take down corrupted powers. _

_ They’d taken care of the Innits as soon as possible. _

_ “Yeah, what about them?” _

_ Eret opens the folder and pushes it towards Philza. “They had a kid.” _

_ There’s a split second where they just stare at the open folder in front of them. _

_ “No,” Wilbur says skeptically. _

_ Yet there he is. Pictures of a boy in a red and white shirt, blond hair messily sat upon his head. He looks tall, and gangly, and certainly too thin for a boy his age (which, apparently, is sixteen). _

_ Tommy Innit, the top of the file reads. At the age of sixteen, going in and out of homes quite frequently. _

_ “There’s no fucking way,” Techno mumbles beside him. _

_ Eret leans back in their chair. “He doesn’t seem to be affiliated with any of his parents' work. He’s a troublemaker, apparently, but nothing illegal or cruel.” _

_ Philza nods, a small lump in his throat. “Thank you, Eret. I appreciate you bringing this information to us.” _

_ They continue with business talk for a little bit, but Philza can’t truly get into it. He can’t stop thinking about the kid from the photo. _

_ Eret, seeming to notice, smiles gently. “I’ll be taking my leave, then. I’ll leave the folder with you, in case you want to look through it.” They nod at Techno and Wilbur before leaving through the door. _

_ Usually, Wilbur gets up almost immediately, offering to get them something to eat while they review what they learned. Techno would crack a bitter joke towards Philza, and he would laugh about it before Wilbur came back. _

_ None of them did that, this time. They all just stared at the photos of the boy in front of them. _

_ “Philza…” Wilbur starts, before faltering. He doesn’t need to say anything else; They all know what he’s thinking. _

_ Techno heaves a heavy sigh. “We can’t do anything, Philza. We shouldn’t.” _

_ “We killed his parents, Techno. We can’t just leave the kid alone.” _

_ “So what? His parents were abusive dicks, he’s better off without them.” _

_ “I mean,” Wilbur interrupts, “technically we don’t know if they were abusive. We didn’t even know they had a kid until now.” _

_ Techno and Philza both give him withering looks. _

_ “Yeah. Yeah, I know,” Wilbur huffs. “Seriously, though, Techno does have a point. We probably did the kid a favor.” _

_ “Even so,” Philza says, picking up a photo of the boy. “You don’t think we owe this kid something?” _

_ “A life in the mafia? Naw, I don’t think we do.” _

_ “You know what I mean, Techno. He doesn’t have to be in it. We can just… keep him out of it.” _

_ Wilbur laughs lowly. “Yeah, cause that’ll be easy. He’s just a kid, Philza, we can’t…” He stares at the pictures in a tense silence. “We don’t…” _

_ Philza leans closer. “We should just try. Visit him, or something. He deserves that much, someone to check in on him at least.” _

_ Techno rolls his eyes before getting up. “You’re getting into too much, Philza,” he says before exiting the room. _

_ Wilbur and Philza sit in silence. Wil picks up the folder, flipping through it. Finally, he sighs. “I guess. Just to see if he’s okay.” _

_ Philza calls the orphanage that night. _

***

_ “It’s so nice to meet you men,” the caregiver in front of them says. She seems a bit nervous. Flipping her hair around, tugging her sleeve around her fingers. “Not a lot of people take interest in Tommy, with his age and all,” she waves her hand absentmindedly, “and the ones who do, well…” She shuffles in her chair. “Tommy doesn’t usually last long in homes.” _

_ Philza nods in interest. “Why not?” _

_ “Well, he’s always such a troublemaker. Doesn’t like rules, and all of that. Not his fault, really. His last parents were quite abusive, so you can imagine the effects that has on a child.” _

_ He can feel Techno and Wilbur tense beside him. “What do you mean, Ma’am?” Wilbur asks hesitantly. _

_ She looks away and readjusts her glasses. “A lot of physical abuse, you know. I’ve heard they were into business that parents shouldn’t be into. A lot of yelling went on in that house, not the good kind. And then his parents were killed, and well-” She doesn’t seem to know how to continue. “He just never learned how to behave.” _

_ For a moment, they all sit in silence. Philza glances at the two men beside him, but they don’t look back at him. _

_ The woman, seeming to take a social cue, says quickly, “Would you three like to see him?” _

_ “Yes,” Philza replies, at the same time that Wilbur says, “Maybe,” at the same time that Techno says “No.” _

_ The woman ignores the other two, smiling nervously at Philza instead. “Perfect! I’ll be right back with him, Sir, and I’ll make sure he’s on his best behavior.” _

_ She’s out of the doorway before Philza can even open his mouth to respond. _

_ Techno rubs his temples. “Phil. We checked in on him, congratulations, let’s go.” _

_ “If you want to leave, Techno, you can. No one’s forcing you to stay.” _

_ Techno stares at him, before staring at Wilbur. _

_ Wilbur taps his fingers on his knees. “Let’s just see him, Techno. If life is that hard for him, he at least deserves someone who will say hi and be friendly.” _

_ The pink haired man rolls his eyes and slumps back in the chair. “Fine. We’re leaving immediately after though.” _

_ They sit in silence until the door opens again. The woman steps through first, and it feels as though all three men are holding their breath as the younger walks in- _

_ He looks exactly like the pictures, just a bit taller than they had expected. He walks in with lowered eyebrows, obviously confused and on guard. _

_ “Tommy! These three men wanted to meet you!” _

_ He stands in the doorway, looking with everything in him as though he wants to go right back out. _

_ “Come sit, Tommy.” _

_ Slowly, the boy sits across from them at the table. _

_ His blue eyes scan the men in front of him, with a look of immediate distrust. He’s clutching his arms in his hands, crossed across his chest. _

_ Philza wants to reach out and protect him. Hold him in his arms, let him know that no one is going to hurt him, not anymore. _

_ “Hello, Tommy. I’m Philza,” he says instead. _

_ “Wilbur,” Wilbur says with a small wave. _

_ “Techno.” _

_ Tommy seems taken aback. “What kind of shit name is Techno?” _

_ Wilbur laughs, but catches himself. He turns it into a cough halfway through (Far too late to convince anyone, though). _

_ “Tommy!” The woman responds, mortified. “I am so, so sorry, Mr. Techno. He doesn’t know what he’s saying, really-” _

_ “I know damn well what I’m saying,” Tommy mumbles, but the woman speaks over him. _

_ “I promise he can behave better than this, he’s having a bad day-” _

_ “It’s alright, Ma’am,” Wilbur interrupts. “Nothing he hasn’t heard before.” _

_ The woman nods with tight lips. “Tell them about yourself, Tommy.” _

_ He picks at his skin as he lists a few things. They sound rehearsed. How he likes to play games, and sing sometimes. His favorite food, his favorite color. _

_ “What are some things you like, Tommy?” Philza interjects, trying to spark more casual conversation. _

_ “Women,” Tommy says confidently, and Wilbur laughs again. Tommy stares at him with wide eyes, before slowly allowing a smile to spread across his own face. _

_“Women? What women are you getting, Tommy, you’re sixteen years old!”_ _  
__“I get plenty of women!” Tommy objects. “What do you think I am, some sort of Beta Male?”_

_ This only makes Wilbur laugh harder, practically erupting in his chair. Tommy’s smile spreads wider across his face, staring at Wilbur with lights in his eyes. _

_ “Come now,” the woman says, in a poor attempt to rein them in. “Behave, Tommy.” _

_ Tommy’s smile falters. _

_ “Do you have anyone you know here, Tommy?” Philza asks, in an attempt to shift the conversation back on track. _

_ A wrong move, apparently. Tommy’s smile completely disappears, and he stops making eye contact with them. _

_ “No,” he says simply. He’s back to holding his arms in his hands. _

_ “No one you’re close with…?” Philza asks softly. _

_Tommy’s face starts to go red. “I already said, no.”_ _  
__“Tommy,” the woman says sharply, and for just a millisecond, Tommy flinches._

_ Philza notices it. _

_ Wilbur notices it. _

_ Techno notices it. _

_ “He’s alright,” Philza says with a gentle smile. “He’s just being honest. It was nice to meet you, Tommy.” _

_ Tommy nods silently, before getting up and walking towards the door. He makes one last glance towards Wilbur, before slipping through the door and disappearing. _

_ “Oh- Mercy-” the woman says, frantically turning herself around. “I apologize, I can get him back right away-” _

_ “We’re quite alright,” Wilbur says. “I think we’ll be going now, if it’s alright with you.” _

_ She freezes before nodding stiffly. “Yes, of course. I hope you all have wonderful days.” _

_ They each get up and walk silently out the door. _

_ They walk silently to the car. _

_ They sit in silence as they get into the car. _

_ Philza can’t bring himself to even turn on the car. They sit in a tense silence. _

_ “We have to take him,” Philza says. _

_ Techno gives a heavy sigh from the back. Wilbur glances towards Philza, before staring sternly at the road ahead of him. _

_ “Yeah.” _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm thinking about including flashbacks one or two more times throughout the story, but if you guys don't like it I can find a different way to incorporate information in the story.
> 
> Thank you all for Kudos and Comments! I appreciate them all, so feel free to leave them! Whether it be questions, statements, or concern, I appreciate it all.
> 
> (Hey, especially with this chapter, can comment what you thought about the flashback idea? If it messes with the flow of the story, or seems unnecessary, or served the exact purpose it was supposed to, please let me know. I want this story to be the best it can be (with the time I have, lol), and I depend on comments like these to improve. Thanks again!)


	4. Not What He Thought

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Men come after Tommy, and a certain team will have to intervene to help him...

Tommy supposes it was his fault this was happening. He was the one who felt the need to argue something small, after all.

The weekend was hell. After the coin incident, and the subsequent breakdown, no one seemed to want to leave him alone. Philza was constantly chatting with him, almost never leaving the room. If Tommy was voice chatting Tubbo, Wilbur and Techno would always join, making sure to play whatever games they were playing.

It all made Tommy wildly uncomfortable. Though, none of it was quite as bad as the family dinners that weekend.

Tommy didn’t say anything as Philza made his favorite meal that Saturday. He tried to ignore the fact that they all spoke quieter than usual. Everything they said was a direct line of conversation with him. Asking him about school, and Tubbo, and homework, and games. It was hard to believe he managed to eat anything with how often he had to talk with them.

Sunday proved to be no different. Hell, it was almost worse. Everyone seemed to have a strange edge around him. It had gotten to the point where Tommy was almost convinced that they were going to tell him they were sending him back at dinner that night.

It was near the end of dinner that a lull in conversation happened.

Silence overtook the three men in front of him. Techno idly played with the food left on his plate, while Wilbur fidgeted with his fork. Philza stared intensely at a spot a few inches in front of him.

Tommy took a deep breath.

This was it. None of them looked at him, or even spoke with him, and this would be the moment they finally said it-

“Tommy,” Philza started, and Tommy’s breath caught.

His bag was still packed. He could go back that night, even. And he probably would. There was no point in staying around. He would rather sleep in the dead fucking cold streets than with these people, these people who didn’t even want him, these people who wasted his fucking time-

“I think Wilbur should start picking you up from school again.”

He looked up towards Philza, who stared back at him with a slightly concerned expression.

Huh.

“I don’t want to be picked up,” Tommy stated. He ignored the stubborn set of his own jaw.

“Tommy,” Wilbur sighed, putting down his fork, “I know it’s not exactly what you asked for. I understand you want to walk home, but after the coin incident-”

Tommy tried not to let his eyebrows raise. It had been the first time that they had actually mentioned what had happened. He had assumed it was something that they were never supposed to bring up again. His parents never brought up incidents like that. For that matter, if Tommy mentioned something, they’d usually get upset.

“So what? I’ll just avoid random strangers then. I like walking home with Tubbo.”

Philza raised an eyebrow at this. “Tubbo walks home with you?”

“Well, for a little bit, at least.”

“How about we drive Tubbo home too, then?” Wilbur suggested. “So you can still spend time with Tubbo, and you don’t walk home by yourself.”

Tommy shook his head. He knew he was pushing it, but fuck it, he needed to have some sort of last-stand.

“I don’t want to ride home. I like walking.”

Wilbur huffed. He could tell by the grip on his fork that he was getting frustrated, and the twitch in his eyebrows that he was making sure to hold himself together. “Tommy, just-”

“He can walk.”

Techno’s deep voice cut Wilbur off. He didn’t even look at them, just continued to cut the meat placed on his plate.

“Are you sure, Techno?” Philza said nervously. “We haven’t really discussed him walking very much…”

With a casual shrug, he leaned back in the chair. “He can walk, if he wants. I don’t really think it’s worth having a big argument about.”

“Techno, I really can’t fucking iterate how bad of an idea this feels like,” Wilbur said.

“Tommy, you want to walk to school?”

“Well, yeah, that’s what I just said-”

“Then let the kid walk. He’s old enough.”

There was a moment where the three stared at each other, giving each other glances that communicated things Tommy never understood. He hated when they did that.

“Okay,” Philza finally said hesitantly. “If you say it’s alright, Techno, we trust you.”

And that was that.

Tommy thinks about that, now, as he walks home. If he had just done as Wilbur had asked, he wouldn’t be in this mess.

He risks a glance in the window beside him and winces.

The men in all black, aside from the shades with a purple tint disguising their faces, are still following him.

Tommy isn’t sure when the men started following him. It took him until he was ten minutes away from the school to notice, though.

They’re tall. Taller than him, he was certain, which was quite the impressive feat. Entirely black suits, which seemed to soak in every bit of light around it.

He knew about kidnapping, and sex trafficking, and all that. He just… Didn’t think it would be like this.

Hell, he didn’t think he’d ever be in a situation like this in the first place.

It doesn’t seem to matter how many turns he takes. How much he backtracks, or walks in circles, or speeds up. They’re always right there.

He grips the straps of his backpack tightly in his hand. His heart is pounding against his chest, harder and faster than he thinks it ever has. The air is stuck in his chest, and he’s almost gasping trying to force himself to choke down air-

The men are closer. They’ve been getting progressively closer this whole time, but now they’re practically looming over him. Tommy had been, in an effort to be inconspicuous, forcing himself to walk, but finally finds some sense in him to just fucking run.

He hardly makes it two steps before elongated fingers wrap tightly around his arm.

He yelps and twists in an attempt to pull his arm out, but the man is strong, stronger than he expected-

A scream almost rips from his throat as someone pushes themselves in front of him. The hand around his arm is forcefully pushed off, and it hurts, slightly, but then someone else is grabbing him and pushing him backwards. Tommy starts to push and kick, throwing out his hands and feet, pushing his weight around in the hopes of getting free.

“Hey, hey hey- Kid, work with us,” the man says frustrated.

The only reason Tommy stops struggling is because he looks different from the rest. He’s not obnoxiously tall, to start, and he’s not wearing a suit. All black, sure, but there’s a small stitched flame on the corner of his shirt, which at least differentiates him. His black hair is pushed slightly out of his face by a white bandana.

Tommy stops struggling, but doesn’t relax. All of his muscles are tense as he glances from the man directly in front of him to the group of men slightly further in front of him.

There’s another man that isn’t a part of the original group. He’s almost certain that this man isn’t with them- he’s wearing a deep green turtleneck, a bullet-vest covering his chest. He can’t see his face, just his ruffled blond hair from behind.

“You got him, Sapnap?” The blond calls out. He turns his head, slightly, and Tommy can’t help the chill that goes down his spine.

The man is wearing a fucking mask. White, and circular, with dark painted eyes and a long thick smile.

“What the  _ fuck _ ,” Tommy whispers.

“Yeah, we’re all good,” the man- Sapnap, was it?- says back. “Don’t get killed while I’m gone, Dream!”

The blond turns back around without saying anything.

Sapnap reaches out to grab Tommy again, but he twitches his arm back.

“Fucking- come on, dude, we don’t have all day. Either come with me, or stay behind and get fucking killed.”

Well. When he put it that way.

Tommy blames the shock of the situation for his following of the man down empty, unknown streets. Surely, the adrenaline is the only thing keeping him fucking sprinting, as he hears the faint sound of fighting from behind him.

If he thought the path he was taking to shake off the men from earlier was confusing, it’s nothing on right now. He’s going down alleyways he didn’t even know existed, and Sapnap has grabbed his wrist again to force him to keep up.

His legs fucking  _ ache,  _ his chest is burning and catching his lungs on fire, and they must be filling with smoke because he can’t fucking breathe-

And then he’s weightless. He screams as he’s suddenly flung forward, back crashing against the harsh brick wall-

“ _ Shit, _ sorry!” Sapnap cries out. “Fuck, sorry, we had too much momentum, I couldn’t stop myself in time, are you alright?”

Tommy scampers away from Sapnap as he nears. His back protests as he presses it against the wall, but he elects to ignore it.

“Who the fuck are you?” Tommy spits.

The man raises his hands in a peaceful gesture. “It’s okay, dude, chill. I’m Sapnap. Your Dad asked us to look after you.”

He takes a moment to stare at Sapnap, chest heaving and head hurting.

“What?”

Sapnap looks up in consideration. “Well, technically your brother, I guess. Is he your brother? I don’t really know the dynamics, to be honest, Dream filled me in but I wasn’t really listening-”

“What the fuck are you going on about?

Sapnap huffs. “Okay, alright. Just… let me think of how to put this.”

He squats to get eye-level with Tommy, who’s still thrown to the ground.

“So… your family- They aren’t really-” Sapnap sighs, scratching the back of his head with his hand. “Fuck, this is harder than I thought. Philza, Techno, and Wilbur, they’re, uh, in some… Dangerous business.”

Tommy just stares apprehensively, which Sapnap takes as a cue to continue.

“So, uh. Not that they brought you in to put you in danger, mind you. They didn’t want to bring you in  _ because _ of it, actually. I don’t think, anyway. But, you know, after your parents or whatever, they felt pretty shitty leaving you out, so-”

“My parents?”

Sapnap tenses, staring back at Tommy with wide eyes and pouty lips.

“What about my parents?”

Sapnap takes a deep breath, before letting out a quiet, long, “Oh.” He rocks on the back of his heels uncomfortably. “Okay, listen. I obviously don’t know like, what you already know, or what I’m allowed to tell you, so I just-”

He’s interrupted by an echoing bang. Tommy jumps, while Sapnap just swivels towards the noise.

“Alright,” Sapnap says, turning back around to face Tommy. “I’m going to go find Dream. He can probably explain better anyways.” He slips the small pack he had around his back off, handing it to Tommy. “You shouldn’t need this, but I thought I’d give it to you just in case. Just has some shit in there you might want if anyone comes by.”

With that, Sapnap gives a small salute, before turning on his heels and running out the door.

There’s a lot to process, from that interaction.

Someone’s after him.

Someone knows something that he doesn’t.

Something had happened with his parents.

His foster family is dangerous.

The decision is immediate. He can’t trust them. Had they sent those men after him? If Sapnap was telling the truth (which Tommy wasn’t ready to fully accept, either), Techno had told them to protect him. Did that mean Techno knew Tommy was in danger? That he didn’t care enough to warn Tommy? Protect him himself?

They were going to get rid of him, anyway. Throw him away. Apparently they hadn’t wanted him in the first place.

Tommy begins to rummage in the small leather pack.

He wasn’t going to go back to the orphanage. Philza, and Techno, and Wilbur were the best he had gotten in a long time. If they didn’t want him, hadn’t wanted him from the start, no one would.

It was more than that, though. Maybe not at first, maybe not when he kept his window unlocked so he could grab his bag and run when they inevitably broke the news.

Now it was everything else. Who the fuck were the men following him? Why were they following him? What kind of business was his foster family a part of? What did his parents have to do with any of this? Was it all connected to that fucking black coin he had been given a few days prior?

He didn’t know Sapnap. He didn’t know Dream, or anyone else he trusted to tell him the truth.

He’d have to find the truth himself.

There’s nothing in the bag that immediately helps him. A small knife, a pistol that Tommy certainly doesn’t know how to shoot, a sleek black phone.

A frustrated sigh passes his lips.

He doesn’t know where to even start.

But maybe…

Maybe someone would.

He zips up the bag, throwing it over one shoulder before pulling out his phone.

Sending a quick text, he peeks out from the door of the building, before sprinting down the street.

***

_ Tubbo. Let me in when I knock. It’s important. _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I HAVEN'T FORGOTTEN ABOUT THIS FIC!!! I PROMISE!!!!
> 
> As it's a long series, I'm just taking more care into how I write, and the storyline. If you know my other works, you know I have a one-shot series I often update. It's just easier to write short, small stories that are maybe interconnected, than an entire storyline where characters and plots and everything have to intertwine.
> 
> I've revamped a bit of the plot, though! And I'm hoping that I have the time to do WAY more frequent updates.
> 
> With that all said, thanks to those who read this! I understand it's hard to get back into a fic after it hasn't updated in a long time. I really, really appreciate everyone who left comments during my absence.
> 
> Feel free to leave comments and kudos for this! I absolutely love every comment I get. Whether it be a question, criticism, critique, or just general enthusiasm, it all makes my day. I love you all!
> 
> (PS. I tried making the vague mafia members for each mafia group a mob from Minecraft. I'm sure you can guess this one, lol)

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by a tiktok by @crystal_rose3099 , in which she got me thinking about a Mafia AU for everyone here (though the plot is a bit different than what the tiktok suggested!)
> 
> This is a multi-chaptered story, so I look forward to writing/uploading the full thing!


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